Return shipping system

Abstract

A return shipping system can include an outer container and a collapsible shock absorbing frame which can include a resilient sheet attached thereto for providing retention or suspension packaging of an article to be shipped within the outer container. The outer container can have a collapsed state suitable for shipping with the collapsible shock absorbing frame nested therein, the collapsible shock absorbing frame also in a collapsed state. The outer container can have an erect or expanded state suitable for shipping with the collapsible shock absorbing frame nested therein, the collapsible shock absorbing frame being in a locked or deployed state and configured to retain an article for shipping within the outer container.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A return-shipping container system for shipment to a customer in an empty state and for return shipment of an item with shock-protection during transport, comprising:
 a collapsible shock absorbing assembly including a central panel having a central aperture, a peripheral wall extending along a periphery of the central panel, the peripheral wall comprising first, second, third, and fourth wall panels pivotably attached to the central panel, the first and third wall panels disposed at opposite ends of the central panel and the second and fourth wall panels disposed at opposite sides of the central panel; 
 the peripheral wall being foldable between a deployed position and a collapsed position, wherein in the deployed position the first, second, third, and fourth wall panels extend generally perpendicular to the central panel defining a deployed height of the collapsible shock absorbing assembly, and wherein in the collapsed position the peripheral wall is folded against the central panel and defines a collapsed height that is smaller than the deployed height; 
 wherein the second and fourth wall panels each comprise first and second diagonal fold creases, respectively, the second and fourth wall panels being configured to fold along the first and second diagonal fold creases from the deployed to the collapsed positions, forming first and second triangular overlapping portions on each of the second and fourth wall panels; 
 a resilient sheet having first, second, third, and fourth edge portions, the first and third edges of the resilient sheet being connected to the first and third wall panels and the second and fourth edges of the resilient sheet lying adjacent to the second and fourth wall portions; 
 a contractible outer container, foldable between contracted and expanded configurations, wherein in the expanded configuration, the contractible outer container defines an expanded interior cavity sufficiently large to receive the entire collapsible shock absorbing assembly in the deployed position and an additional article of commerce, and wherein when the contractible outer container is in the contracted configuration, the contractible outer container defines a contracted interior cavity that is too small to receive the entire collapsible shock absorbing assembly in the deployed configuration but is sufficiently large to receive and enclose for shipping the entire collapsible shock absorber absorbing assembly in the collapsed position. 
 
     
     
       2. The shipping container of  claim 1 , the contractible outer container further comprising:
 a bottom wall and a plurality of container side walls connected to the bottom wall, each container side wall of the plurality of container side walls comprises a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion pivotably connected to the corresponding lower portion along a horizontal fold line and the lower portion connected to the bottom wall; and 
 wherein folding of the plurality of container side walls along the horizontal fold lines transitions the outer container from the expanded state into the contracted state. 
 
     
     
       3. The shipping container of  claim 2 , wherein the contractible outer container is assembled with the collapsible shock absorbing assembly and folding of the plurality of container side walls of the contractible outer container along the horizontal fold lines folds the first and third wall panels of the peripheral wall inwardly towards the central panel and thereby transitions the peripheral wall of the collapsible shock absorbing assembly into the collapsed position. 
     
     
       4. The shipping container of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the second and fourth wall panels of the collapsible shock absorbing assembly each comprise a horizontal locking fold line extending across the first and second diagonal fold creases, the locking fold line defining a locking portion on each of the second and fourth wall panels; and 
 the locking portions being foldable between a locked position wherein the second and fourth wall panels cannot be folded along the first and second diagonal fold creases, respectively, and an unlocked position wherein the second and fourth wall panels are foldable along the first and second diagonal fold creases. 
 
     
     
       5. The shipping container of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the contractible outer container further comprises first and second top panels pivotably coupled at top fold lines with corresponding upper portions of the container side walls of the plurality of container sides walls; and 
 the contractible outer container is assembled with the collapsible shock absorbing assembly and folding of the first and second top walls of the outer container along the top fold lines folds the locking portions of the second and fourth wall panels inwardly along the locking fold lines, the locking portions extending above the top fold lines. 
 
     
     
       6. The shipping container of  claim 4  wherein the contractible outer container is assembled with the collapsible shock absorbing assembly and the locking fold lines are aligned with a top ridge of each of the first and third wall panels of the collapsible shock absorbing assembly such that the locking portions can be folded down below the top ridges. 
     
     
       7. The shipping container of  claim 1  wherein the first and second diagonal fold creases are set at a 45° angle with respect to the periphery of the central panel of the collapsible shock absorbing assembly. 
     
     
       8. A shipping container for containing and protecting an article during transport, comprising:
 a collapsible shock absorbing frame comprising a central panel and a plurality of side panels, each side panel of the plurality of side panels connected with the central panel along corresponding bottom fold lines, the collapsible shock absorbing frame having a collapsed configuration, wherein the plurality of side panels are folded towards the central panel, and a deployed configuration, wherein the plurality of side panels are upright with respect to the central panel; 
 an outer container comprising a bottom panel and a plurality of side walls, the side walls of the outer container being foldable between at least first and second states, the collapsible shock absorbing frame being nestable within the outer container when in either of the first and second states, the first state of the outer container enclosing a first volume of space sufficient to encompass the collapsible shock absorbing frame in the collapsed configuration and insufficient to encompass the collapsible shock absorbing frame in the deployed configuration, the second state of the outer container enclosing a second volume of space sufficient to encompass the collapsible shock absorbing frame when in either of the deployed and the collapsed configurations. 
 
     
     
       9. The shipping container of  claim 8 , further comprising: a first side panel of the plurality of side panels of the collapsible shock absorbing frame, the first side panel comprising a central portion and first and second diagonal folding lines defining first and second triangular portions, respectively. 
     
     
       10. The shipping container of  claim 9 , further comprising: a locking fold line extending across the first side panel and defining a locking portion of the first side panel;
 wherein the locking portion is folded along the locking fold line to transition the deployed configuration to a locked configuration in which the collapsible shock absorbing frame cannot be folded in the collapsed configuration. 
 
     
     
       11. The shipping container of  claim 10 , wherein the locking fold line extends across the central portion and the first and second triangular portions of the first side panel, the locking fold line aligned with a first and a second top ridge of a second and a third side panel of the plurality of side panels, respectively. 
     
     
       12. The shipping container of  claim 10 , further comprising: a resilient sheet member having first and second edges, the first edge coupled with the first side panel and the second edge coupled with a third side panel of the plurality of side panels and extending across a central aperture of the bottom panel of the collapsible shock absorbing frame. 
     
     
       13. The shipping container of  claim 12 , wherein the first edge is coupled with the locking portion of the first side panel, the locking portion configured to apply a tension to the resilient sheet member when folded inwardly along the locking fold line. 
     
     
       14. The shipping container of  claim 10 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of side walls of the outer container comprises a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion pivotably connected to the corresponding lower portion along a fold line and the lower portion connected to the bottom panel, the fold line spaced above the bottom panel; and 
 the outer container is assembled with the collapsible shock absorbing frame and folding of the plurality of side walls of the outer container along the fold lines transitions the outer container from the second state to the first state and causes the collapsible shock absorbing frame to fold into the collapsed configuration by folding second and fourth side panels of the plurality of side panels inwardly towards the central panel. 
 
     
     
       15. The shipping container of  claim 10 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of side walls of the outer container comprises a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion pivotably connected to the corresponding lower portion along a fold line and the lower portion connected to the bottom panel, the fold line spaced above the bottom panel; and 
 the outer container is assembled with the collapsible shock absorbing frame and folding of the plurality of side walls of the outer container along the fold lines is prevented by the collapsible shock absorbing frame in the in the locked configuration. 
 
     
     
       16. The shipping container of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the outer container comprises a top panel pivotably coupled at a top fold line with a corresponding side wall of the plurality of side walls; and 
 the outer container is assembled with the collapsible shock absorbing frame and the locking fold line of the collapsible shock absorbing frame is positioned above the fold line of the plurality of side walls and at or below the top fold line. 
 
     
     
       17. The shipping container of  claim 16 , wherein the outer container is assembled with the collapsible shock absorbing frame, the locking portions extending above the top fold lines and folding of the top panel along the top fold line causes the locking portion of the first side panel of the collapsible shock absorbing frame to fold along the locking fold line and thereby transition the inner frame into the locked configuration. 
     
     
       18. A collapsible shock absorbing frame comprising:
 a bottom panel; 
 a first end panel and a second end panel, the first and second end panels coupled with the bottom panel at first and second bottom fold lines, respectively; 
 a first side panel and a second side panel, the first and second side panels coupled with the bottom panel at third and fourth bottom fold lines, respectively; 
 the first side panel comprising a central panel and first and second triangular portions defined by respective diagonal fold lines; 
 a resilient sheet having first and second ends attached to the first and second side panels, respectively; 
 the collapsible shock absorbing frame having a collapsed configuration and a deployed configuration, wherein in the collapsed configuration, the central panel of the first side panel is folded towards the bottom panel along the third bottom fold line and the first and second triangular portions are folded outwards along the diagonal fold lines and overlapping a portion of the central panel; 
 the collapsible shock absorbing frame having a deployed configuration wherein first side panel is upright with respect to the bottom panel. 
 
     
     
       19. The collapsible shock absorbing frame of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the first side panel comprises a locking fold line extending horizontally across the central panel and the first and second triangular panels, the locking fold line defining a foldable locking portion on the first side panel; and 
 folding the locking portions along the locking fold lines prevents the first and second triangular portions from folding along the diagonal fold lines. 
 
     
     
       20. The collapsible shock absorbing frame of  claim 19 , wherein the bottom panel comprises a central opening, a middle portion of the resilient sheet extending across the central opening, and when in the collapsed configuration, the first and second side panel apply a tension across the resilient sheet. 
     
     
       21. The collapsible shock absorbing frame of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second ends of the resilient sheet are heat sealed to the first and second side panels, respectively. 
     
     
       22. The collapsible shock absorbing frame of  claim 20 , wherein the first end of the resilient sheet is connected with the locking portion of the first side panel and the locking portion applies a tension across the resilient sheet when folded along the locking fold line. 
     
     
       23. The collapsible shock absorbing frame of  claim 19 , wherein one end of the locking fold line is aligned with a top ridge of the first end panel and a second end of the locking fold line is aligned with a top ridge of the second end panel. 
     
     
       24. The collapsible shock absorbing frame of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 an inner panel and an outer panel of the first end panel, the outer panel pivotably coupled with the bottom panel at the first bottom fold line and pivotably coupled with inner panel at a ridge fold line; 
 a first flap portion, the first flap portion pivotably coupled with the first triangular panel at a first flap fold line; and 
 wherein the inner panel is folded inwardly along the ridge fold line and adjacent to the outer panel, the first flap portion secured therebetween. 
 
     
     
       25. The collapsible shock absorbing frame of  claim 18  wherein the first diagonal fold line intersects the third bottom fold line at the first end panel and the second diagonal fold line intersects the third bottom line at the second end panel. 
     
     
       26. The collapsible shock absorbing frame of  claim 25  wherein the first diagonal fold line extends at a 45° angle from the third bottom fold line.